Communication systems using digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies are commonly utilized to provide Internet related services to subscribers, such as, for example, homes and/or businesses (also referred to herein as users, customers and/or customer-premises). DSL technologies enable customers to utilize telephone lines (e.g., ordinary twisted-pair copper telephone lines used to provide Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) services) to connect the customer to, for example, a high data-rate broadband Internet network, broadband service and/or broadband content. For example, a communication company and/or service provider may utilize a plurality of modems (e.g., a plurality of DSL modems) implemented by a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) at a central office (CO) to provide DSL communication services to a plurality of modems located at respective customer-premises. In general, a CO DSL modem receives broadband service content from, for example, a backbone server and forms a digital downstream DSL signal to be transmitted to a customer-premises DSL modem. Likewise, the central office DSL modem receives an upstream DSL signal from the customer-premises DSL modem and provides the data transported in the upstream DSL signal to the backbone server.
In many instances, two or more DSL modems at different customer-premises utilize respective twisted-pair copper telephone lines that are bundled together (e.g., contained within) in a distribution cable (e.g., a binder). Because the telephone lines are bundled together, the two or more DSL modems may cause and/or create crosstalk noise for each other. Moreover, the characteristics of the twisted-pair copper telephone lines are susceptible and/or dependent upon, for example, ambient temperature, heat loading and/or moisture. Crosstalk and/or environmental conditions may affect the DSL connection rate achievable by a DSL modem.